Home / Echelon Publishing / Echelon Consulting / FAQs / Contact Us / Learning Log / Shopping Basket

Purpose and benefits

Roy Thomson (1894–1976) grew up in Canada surrounded by poverty. As a small boy he was forced to work his way through school by doing odd jobs. He subsequently drifted from job to job until, discovering he had a talent for selling, he obtained a franchise to sell radios. But poor radio reception proved a major obstacle. Determined to improve his prospects, he started his own radio station in 1931. By 1934 the enterprising Thomson had accumulated several radio stations as well as his first newspaper. By 1953 he had built a considerable business empire, with 19 newspapers and a rag-bag of other businesses.